Majority of Democrats seldom or never go to Church

[Acid Trip]

An interesting poll. I also found an article that shows Democrats give far less to charity despite making more money. Is anyone surprised by these statistics or is it inline with what you already knew?

A Majority of Democrats Seldom or Never Go to Church, Says Gallup
By Terence P. Jeffrey

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/majority-democrats-seldom-or-never-go-church-says-gallup

Religion

(CNSNews.com) - A majority of Democrats—52 percent—say they seldom or never go to church, according to Gallup data published Monday.

That result is based on Gallup’s daily tracking polls conducted between June 1 and Aug. 31 of this year.

In addition to the 52 percent of Democrats who told Gallup they seldom or never go to church, another 20 percent said they go to church nearly weekly or monthly, and 27 percent said they go weekly.

On Oct. 28, Gallup reported that its daily tracking polls between June 1 and Aug. 31 showed that 38 percent of Republicans said they seldom or never go to church, while 21 percent said they go to church nearly weekly or monthly, and 40 percent said they go weekly.

When asked by Gallup what their religious denomination was, 19 percent of Democrats said they had none, while 9 percent of Republicans said they belonged to no religious denomination.

Democrats are less religious than the typical American and Republicans are more religious, according to Gallup’s data. Overall, 15 percent of Americans told Gallup they had no religious denomination. Also, overall, 46 percent of Americans told Gallup they seldom or never went to church, while 20 percent said they went to church nearly weekly or monthly, and 33 percent said they went weekly.

Charity

-- Although liberal families' incomes average 6 percent higher than those of conservative families, conservative-headed households give, on average, 30 percent more to charity than the average liberal-headed household ($1,600 per year vs. $1,227).

-- Conservatives also donate more time and give more blood.

-- Democrats represent a majority of the wealthiest congressional districts, and half of America's richest households live in states where both senators are Democrats.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/03/conservatives_more_liberal_giv.html

[DemonGeminiX]

:huh:

Who cares?

[Teh One Who Knocks]

:huh:

Who cares?

I have to concur...who cares if people go to church or not? :wha:

[Acid Trip]

Then forget the church part and look at their charitable donations. Does it bother anyone that Democrats (notorious for giving away other peoples money) are completely stingy when it comes to regular charity (aka giving their own money)?

[Muddy]

Democrats are a bunch of Godless Heathens...

[Hal-9000]

No I'm not :lol:

[Muddy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfX557swcqE

[PorkChopSandwiches]

All these fuckers pretend to be religious so they can get votes

[Hal-9000]

That's why I do it :thumbsup:


oh no...it's really just to get in the minister's daughter's underwear :oops:

[JoeyB]

I'm a deeply religious person, and I never go to church.

I'll make the point. When I opened this thread, right under it was THIS thread:

Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar: Baby No. 20 Is On

There are your churchgoers. Churches are full of people who slowly begin to be very likeminded, like biker gangs or emo kids. You can hop from one church to another and the rules apply, if played out differently...same likemindedness, just different little subculture mores. Church for a lot of these people becomes less about God and more about their little cliques.

That's not for me.

HOWEVER...I never trust polls, you could run it a thousand times and get a thousand results. These things mean nothing.

I'm sure it's more or less true however, about the church thing. But, the results cannot be taken seriously and it would be foolish to do so.

[Deepsepia]

[I]An interesting poll. I also found an article that shows Democrats give far less to charity despite making more money. Is anyone surprised by these statistics or is it inline with what you already knew?

Democrats are less religious than the typical American and Republicans are more religious, according to Gallup’s data.

In other words, people who belong to political parties tend to be somewhat more extreme than "the average American" -- that is not unexpected.

As to "charity", the numbers are skewed by the religious affiliation that is noted.

What is being counted are so-called "charitable deductions" -- which in the case of the religious includes gifts to their churches. Eliminate gifts to religious institutions, and you'd find the numbers look quite different.

When you look at charities that actually benefit everyone -- not just, say, the Mormons who tithe to their church (and are overwhelmingly Republican)-- you find that liberal folks are far more generous to the community.

The largest foundation, by far, in the United States is the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which will, when Warren Buffett's gifts are completed, have received well over $100 billion in contributions from Buffett and the Gates . . . while Gates has never declared a political allegiance, his aims are clearly liberal, and Buffett is a prominent supporter of Obama.

[Acid Trip]

In other words, people who belong to political parties tend to be somewhat more extreme than "the average American" -- that is not unexpected.

As to "charity", the numbers are skewed by the religious affiliation that is noted.

What is being counted are so-called "charitable deductions" -- which in the case of the religious includes gifts to their churches. Eliminate gifts to religious institutions, and you'd find the numbers look quite different.

When you look at charities that actually benefit everyone -- not just, say, the Mormons who tithe to their church (and are overwhelmingly Republican)-- you find that liberal folks are far more generous to the community.

The largest foundation, by far, in the United States is the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which will, when Warren Buffett's gifts are completed, have received well over $100 billion in contributions from Buffett and the Gates . . . while Gates has never declared a political allegiance, his aims are clearly liberal, and Buffett is a prominent supporter of Obama.

So you don't approve of people donating money to their church and it being counted as charity? My church provides free divorce counseling, money counseling, and delivers meals to the elderly members who have mobility problems.

Are these activities not considered charitable to you?

[RBP]

For all the noise about religion in the last election, I have never see the Obama's at church in the entire presidency. In former administrations you always saw them coming from Sunday services or attending this or that event in a church.

[Deepsepia]

So you don't approve of people donating money to their church and it being counted as charity? My church provides free divorce counseling, money counseling, and delivers meals to the elderly members who have mobility problems.

Are these activities not considered charitable to you?

If I build something that serves only my church -- or its leaders-- I fail to see what's "charitable" about it. I'm buying a service for me. The Mormons --exclusively Republican-- are required by their religion to tithe to their Church. Something you're required to do is a tax, in my book, not "charity".

True, they get a tax deduction for it that's "called" a "charitable deduction" but you can call a dog a pig if you like; if it were up to me, religious activities other than the truly charitable (hospitals, schools, poor relief) would be taxable.

But that doesn't make it voluntary, nor does it mean that it benefits anything other than the Mormons. As a non-Mormon in Utah, what benefit would you get from the billions of dollars being given to the LDS? Well, there's the Book of Mormon in your hotel nightstand, but beyond that?

There are religious charities of one kind or another, hospitals, schools, relief funds, etc-- but these get very little money from unrestricted gifts to religious institutions. If you look at parochial schools, for example, today they get very little money from the Catholic Church -- they have to raise their own funds from separate donations and tuitions.

Or, to take perhaps the most egregious example, consider the Church of Scientology, vacuuming up billions of dollars from its adherents, owning all sorts of property, and all subsidized by the taxpayer. You and I pay higher taxes to subsidize those idiots who want to sell you "Dianetics". That's not "charity" in my book, what about yours?

[Acid Trip]

If I build something that serves only my church -- or its leaders-- I fail to see what's "charitable" about it. I'm buying a service for me. The Mormons --exclusively Republican-- are required by their religion to tithe to their Church. Something you're required to do is a tax, in my book, not "charity".

True, they get a tax deduction for it that's "called" a "charitable deduction" but you can call a dog a pig if you like; if it were up to me, religious activities other than the truly charitable (hospitals, schools, poor relief) would be taxable.

But that doesn't make it voluntary, nor does it mean that it benefits anything other than the Mormons. As a non-Mormon in Utah, what benefit would you get from the billions of dollars being given to the LDS? Well, there's the Book of Mormon in your hotel nightstand, but beyond that?

There are religious charities of one kind or another, hospitals, schools, relief funds, etc-- but these get very little money from unrestricted gifts to religious institutions. If you look at parochial schools, for example, today they get very little money from the Catholic Church -- they have to raise their own funds from separate donations and tuitions.

Or, to take perhaps the most egregious example, consider the Church of Scientology, vacuuming up billions of dollars from its adherents, owning all sorts of property, and all subsidized by the taxpayer. You and I pay higher taxes to subsidize those idiots who want to sell you "Dianetics". That's not "charity" in my book, what about yours?

This response show how little you understand about churches and religion in general.

We (a non-denominational church) provide the services I listed to members AND non-members. So doing good things for people with whom I do not share a religious belief (along with those who do) isn't charity? Interesting concept.

Keep painting all religions and religious activities with the same broad brush. After all, we are only out to serve our own :roll:

[Hal-9000]

I've given voluntarily to my church (Christian Science) and have never heard the speakers (ministers if you will) ask for a dime in over 10 years.

I gave them 1000 bucks cash in an envelope because I didn't care for the shit color on the walls....I was thanked and was also told it was not necessary.

[Acid Trip]

I've given voluntarily to my church (Christian Science) and have never heard the speakers (ministers if you will) ask for a dime in over 10 years.

I gave them 1000 bucks cash in an envelope because I didn't care for the shit color on the walls....I was thanked and was also told it was not necessary.

That's not charity you greedy asshole! You're only looking out for your people! :roll:

[Deepsepia]

This response show how little you understand about churches and religion in general.


This response shows that, when confronted with facts, you respond with ad hominem



We (a non-denominational church) provide the services I listed to members AND non-members. So doing good things for people with whom I do not share a religious belief (along with those who do) isn't charity? Interesting concept.

Keep painting all religions and religious activities with the same broad brush. After all, we are only out to serve our own :roll:

I don't know what your church is, and said nothing about it.

I gave two examples of religious institutions with vast sums of money, which do nothing or next-to-nothing for anyone not a member:

Scientology
Latter Day Saints (Mormons)

In the case of the Mormons, who are almost exclusively Republicans (check Utah's voting stats), they not only collect mandatory "donations" (tithes) and provide next to nothing in what I'd call "charitable" services" for anyone not a member of their church.

So to my point: If nearly all Mormons registered to a political party are Republicans (they are), and all Mormons are required to tithe to the LDS church, then you'd expect Republicans to appear to be "more generous" -- while in fact not being so, in my book.

Nor in Thomas Aquinas' book, for that matter

[Hal-9000]

That's not charity you greedy asshole! You're only looking out for your people! :roll:

It was more for me....but you know the score

[JoeyB]

It was more for me....but you know the score

My walls could use a little paint too, you still feeling generous?

[Hal-9000]

My walls could use a little paint too, you still feeling generous?

let me guess......blue?


:hand: no way man, at least when I leave the house of the Lord I know that my anal cherry will still be intact

[JoeyB]

let me guess......blue?


:hand: no way man, at least when I leave the house of the Lord I know that my anal cherry will still be intact

White...and your anal cherry would be safe either way. But, ask Jez what I'm really after. Hint: it's not sexual...

[DemonGeminiX]

That's not charity you greedy asshole! You're only looking out for your people! :roll:

That was uncalled for.

[Southern Belle]

Then forget the church part and look at their charitable donations. Does it bother anyone that Democrats (notorious for giving away other peoples money) are completely stingy when it comes to regular charity (aka giving their own money)?

They don't think they need to give cause the government takes care of everybody :roll:

[RBP]

That was uncalled for.

/sarcasm

[DemonGeminiX]

/sarcasm

Oh, my bad.

:oops:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

/sarcasm

:sarcasm:

[DemonGeminiX]

That angry wide-eyed glare she gives to Sheldon as Leonard holds up the sarcasm sign behind her back is kinda sexy.

:oops:

[Griffin]

Always take at least 2 Baptist's fishing with you. If you only take 1 with you, he will drink up all your beer.